13 groundbreaking lighting innovations from NY Design Week

Of all the fields of industrial design, lighting seems to evolve the quickest as designers harness innovations in materials, manufacturing, and technology. We recently hit the shows of NYCxDesign to bring you a first look at some of the world’s freshest lighting designs – including lamps that sustain life, wild experiments with new materials, and interactive lamps that respond to touch, movement, and music. Check out 13 of our favorite lighting innovations from Sight Unseen Offsite , Wanted Design , and ICFF after the break. Reflected Sequence LED Lamp by Frederike Top Dutch designer Frederike Top has developed an amazing collection of lights and mobiles made from a new material that combines acrylate with iridescent foil. Her Reflected Sequence Table Lamp consists of a single LED bar slatted with sheets of acrylate that reflect the light and make it appear to branch off into complex geometric forms. The material’s foil backing makes the lamp appear to change color and shape depending on the angle from which it is viewed. Globe Terrarium Lights by Richard Clarkson We love terrariums , and we love LED lighting – put them together, and we’re in heaven. Richard Clarkson Studio ‘s hanging Globe lamps are self-sufficient worlds complete with LED lights that sustain the plants within. They’re great for adding a touch of green to any room, and they’re made to last – Clarkson says that some of their terrariums have been thriving for several years now. Janus Lamp by Trueing Studio Trueing Studio ’s elegant Janus Lamp is named after the two-faced Roman god and Saturn’s outermost ring. A band of LED light reflects off a slice of dichroic glass, casting colorful reflections reminiscent of the Aurora Borealis. A post shared by Inhabitat (@inhabitatdesign) on May 19, 2017 at 3:01pm PDT Holon Spheres by Martens-Visser Martens & Visser ‘s amazing Holon orbs look like gigantic spinning soap bubbles! Each Holon is made from long strips of transparent foil connected to a spinning electric motor that causes the bubble-like forms to bounce and shimmer. Double Boom Chandelier by Stickbulb Stickbulb recently debuted a gorgeous new line of LED lighting made of wood salvaged from New York water towers. Their Double Boom fixture is made of reclaimed redwood that has been carbon dated to be three centuries old. Mobius Bench by Louis Lim X 3form At first glance, the Mobius Bench appears to be a simple seat – but when you touch it, a wave of color and light washes over the bench’s serpentine form. Louis Lim teamed up with 3form to create the interactive installation, which stole the show at Wanted Design . Voronoi LED Edison Bulb by Tala These might look like classic Edison bulbs – but they’re actually low-energy LEDs! Tala ‘s Voronoi Bulbs are modeled after forms found in nature – and the company plants ten trees for every 200 products sold. A post shared by Inhabitat (@inhabitatdesign) on May 21, 2017 at 11:45am PDT Aurora Rhythm LED Visualizer by Nanoleaf We’ve featured Nanoleaf ‘s beautiful Aurora LED panels in the past – but we’ve never seen them light up quite like this! The company has developed a new Aurora Rhythm module that listens to nearby sounds to transform your wall into a giant music visualizer. Nanoleaf plans to launch the new device this coming September. Module Lamps by Dear Human Dear Human ‘s stackable Module Lamps consist of individual pieces that can be combined in an endless number of ways. The modules are made from an innovative material called “Paper Rock” that consists of 100% recycled paper and cement. Bottle Cap Lamp by Mutan Argentina-based Mutan collects thousands of discarded plastic bottle tops and transforms them into captivating lamps! Each light is made from 600 bottle caps saved from the landfill. Aural Planes by The Principals X Calico Wallpaper The Principals teamed up with Calico Wallpaper to create a mesmerizing chandelier that reacts to human touch. The lamp’s long tendrils are fitted with capacitive sensors that read your body’s electric charge and then interpret it with flashing lights and sounds from nature. Urchin Softlight by Molo Molo has redesigned their Urchin Softlight to incorporate an LED lighting element within its flexible honeycomb form. The lamps can be opened, closed, flattened, and expanded to suit a wide variety of lighting needs. Echo Felt Lighting by LightArt LightArt ‘s Echo lamps provide both illumination and sound absorption – and they’re made from 50% recycled PET felt. The lights can be hung alone or installed in sets to create multifunctional ceiling landscapes. + NYCxDesign